Feds move to deport 82-year-old convicted IRA terrorist after decades in the United States
Gabriel Megahey, 82, lived in New York for decades but a June 20 letter from the US Department of Homeland Security warned his 'parole' was being terminated, nearly 30 years after he and other IRA members were given dispensation to stay in the country.
'Do not attempt to unlawfully remain in the United States — the federal government will find you. Please depart the United States immediately,' reads the one-page letter, which Megahey shared with the Irish Echo.
Advertisement
The Belfast native was convicted in 1983 in Brooklyn Federal Court for conspiring to buy missiles to shoot down British helicopters amid the violent clashes in Northern Ireland known as 'The Troubles.'
Gabriel Megahey was convicted in 1983 of conspiring to buy weapons to shoot down British helicopters.
Gabriel Megahey /Facebook
At the time, federal authorities considered Megahey 'the officer commanding (OC) of America and Canada' for the IRA, he told PBS's Frontline.
The married father of six served five years in federal prison for conspiracy and arms shipments.
Advertisement
Megahey, known by the nickname 'Skinny Legs,' was convicted with three others, with then U.S. Attorney John Dearie describing him at the time as 'the most culpable of these defendants,' and the group as a whole as 'a network of men who sought to use this country as a base of terrorist activities,' according to reports.
'No one wants peace more than us,' Megahey, who first settled in Jackson Heights, Queens in 1975, insisted at the sentencing hearing.
He was released from prison in 1988 — but never deported.
Advertisement
Megahey and four other IRA members were then allowed to remain in the country as part of the Good Friday Agreement, the historic April 1998 accords which ended decades of violence in Ireland between those who wanted to remain part of the United Kingdom and those who didn't.
Now the grandfather of 14 and great-grandfather of five, who records show moved to Delaware in 2019, is reeling after DHS warned he would be fined and criminally prosecuted if he stays in the United States.
Now 82, Megahey is facing deportation decades after he served his sentence.
Gabriel Megahey /Facebook
'DHS is terminating your parole,' according to the one-page letter, which Megahey shared with the Irish Echo. 'Do not attempt to unlawfully remain in the United States — the federal government will find you. Please depart the United States immediately.'
Advertisement
Megahey, who relies on Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid to pay for expensive medicine necessary to treat a heart ailment, also faces the loss of his benefits.
'It would cost me $4,000 to $5,000 a month to pay for it on my own,' he told Straus News. 'I can't afford that. I'll have to go home.'
DHS and Megahey declined comment.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
New York Post
13 minutes ago
- New York Post
Trump's Aug. 1 tariff deadline is set in stone, Lutnik says: ‘No extensions, no more grace periods'
President Trump's 'Liberation Day' tariffs — set to kick in Friday — are set in stone this time and will not be delayed again, Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick said Sunday. 'No extensions, no more grace periods. Aug. 1, the tariffs are set; they'll go into place. Customs will start collecting the money, and off we go,' Lutnick said on 'Fox News Sunday.' 'Obviously, after Aug. 1, people can still talk to President Trump. I mean, he's always willing to listen, and between now and then, I think the president is going to talk to a lot of people. Whether they can make him happy is another question.' Trump announced a 10% baseline tariff rate on all imports to the US and announced a set of customs rates against virtually every country on the planet during his April 2 'Liberation Day' push. The customized tariff rates were slated to take effect on April 9, but then got delayed 90 days and then postponed again until Aug. 1. 3 Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick said there won't be a grace period for the Aug. 1 tariff deadline. Fox News 3 President Trump's 'Liberation Day' tariffs are set to kick in on Aug. 1 for countries that didn't cut a deal with him. Getty Images In the time since, Trump has announced preliminary trade deals with the United Kingdom, Vietnam, Japan, Indonesia and the Philippines. Additionally, the Trump administration reached a tariff truce with China and set an Aug. 12 deadline to cut a broader deal. Lutnick stressed that Trump is prioritizing the 'big economies' right now. That includes the European Union. Trump met with European Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen on Sunday during his four-day trip to the United Kingdom. 'We set the table. The team sets the table. But Donald Trump does his negotiations by himself,' he emphasized. The EU is a bloc of 27 countries that, taken together, is one of America's largest sources of trade. Negotiations with the EU have proven to be lengthy and tricky for Trump. Trump has a variety of tariffs in place now, such as a 25% rate on automobiles, aluminum, and steel, as well as 25% on imports from Canada and Mexico that don't comply with the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement. He's also recently mused about jacking up tariffs on Canada and Mexico. Lutnick touted the revenue gains from those tariffs. 3 President Trump has endeavored to overhaul US trade relations during his second term. AP 'What's going to happen is very few products are actually going to move in price,' he predicted. 'And basically $700 billion, $800 billion, maybe it's possible we get near a trillion dollars of revenue, will come into the United States of America, reducing our deficit.' 'What do you think is paying for no tax on tips, no tax on overtime, no tax on Social Security, right?' he added. 'I think if you take a look at the whole thing, it's going to be fantastic.' Trump has also flexed tariffs in the geopolitical realm. On Saturday, he spoke with the leaders and Cambodia and Thailand, informing them that US trade negotiations will stop unless they cease fighting over a long-contested section of the border. On July 15, the president also threatened Russia with 100% secondary tariffs on Russian oil if it fails to make a deal with neighboring Ukraine. That threat could complicate US trade relations with China and India in particular, which have been taking advantage of cheap Russian oil due to the sanctions on Moscow.
Politico
14 minutes ago
- Politico
'Donaldddddd': Foreign leaders schmooze Trump on his personal cell
Those leaders include French President Emmanuel Macron, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, who Trump will meet for a round of golf in Scotland on Monday, according to the person and two others familiar with the calls. The three, like others in this story, were granted anonymity to discuss private talks. The informality of these conversations, although hardly different from the off-the-cuff style Trump often showcases in public settings, can still be striking to aides listening on the other end of the line. A person familiar with one of the president's conversations with Macron recalled the two leaders 'bro-ing out' as they greeted one another. 'It was oddly amusing — Trump would say 'Emmanuellllll' and really draw out the l and then Macron would go, 'Donaldddddd' and draw out the d,' they recalled. 'And it sort of went back and forth.' Foreign officials credit their ability to adapt to Trump's freewheeling style to improved personal relationships, which, they say, is leading to more favorable outcomes. One European official pointed to last month's NATO leaders summit in The Netherlands where Trump announced that he'd changed his mind about the alliance after meeting with cohorts he lauded as 'great leaders.' He told reporters that he was departing feeling 'differently' and had determined that the cause of European security was 'not a rip off.' And since then he has agreed to authorize more defense aid for Ukraine so long as Europe foots the bill. 'There's less friction and more alignment in some cases,' said the European official. 'Some of that is the result of a lot of leaders being more hands-on with Trump, and, yes, more solicitous in private.'
Black America Web
32 minutes ago
- Black America Web
‘Top Boy' Actor Michael Ward Accused Of Rape And Sexual Assault In UK
Source: SAMEER AL-DOUMY / Getty Michael Ward, the British actor known for his role in Netflix 's popular series Top Boy has been charged with rape and sexual assault connected to alleged events that took place in 2023. The 27-year-old Jamaican-born performer is slated to appear before the Thames Magistrates' Court on Thursday, Aug. 28 to answer to the charges, People reports. He is currently facing two counts of rape and three counts of sexual assault levied by an accuser who remains unnamed by UK police. 'Our specialist officers continue to support the woman who has come forward – we know investigations of this nature can have significant impact on those who make reports,' said Detective Superintendent Scott Ware, whose team is leading the investigation for Metropolitan Police. Ward has not been arrested in connection to the crime and will appear before the court under his own free will. The young actor has been making a name for himself over the last few years appearing in projects like The Book of Clarence, The Beautiful Game and The Old Guard. He also received rave reviews for his work in The A List prior to his breakout role as Jamie on the Drake-produced Top Boy . 'I deny the charges against me entirely. I have cooperated fully with the police throughout their investigation and will continue to cooperate,' Ward said in a statement amid the charges. 'I recognise that proceedings are now ongoing, and I have full faith that they will lead to my name being cleared. Given those proceedings, I am unable to comment further.' Though the allegations against Ward are serious, the deputy chief crown prosecutor for CPS London South, Catherine Baccas, has asked that the public allow the actor his right to a fair trial before rushing to judgment. 'Having carefully reviewed a file of evidence, the Crown Prosecution Service has authorised the Metropolitan police to charge Micheal Ward, 27, with two counts of rape, two counts of assault by penetration, and one count of sexual assault against a woman in January 2023,' said Baccas in a statement. 'We remind all concerned that proceedings against the suspect are active and he has a right to a fair trial. It is vital that there should be no reporting, commentary or sharing of information online which could in any way prejudice these proceedings.' The post 'Top Boy' Actor Michael Ward Accused Of Rape And Sexual Assault In UK appeared first on Bossip. SEE ALSO 'Top Boy' Actor Michael Ward Accused Of Rape And Sexual Assault In UK was originally published on
